CLACKAMAS, Ore. - Nickayla Skinner took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Game 1 and Cortni Pena struck out eight in the afternoon tilt, as The College of Idaho swept two games at the Northwest Cup at Hood View Park.
Skinner tossed a one-hit shutout in the 3-0 victory over Willamette University, while the Yotes used a four-run sixth inning to stop Puget Sound, 6-1.
Willamette Box Score Puget Sound Box Score
Skinner allowed a hit by pitch and a walk through six innings, but Jenna King led off the seventh inning with a single to left to break up the no-hit bid. The Bearcats (0-1) would get the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Rachael Strong picked-off King from second base to end the game. Skinner recorded nine strikeouts in the victory - her second one-hitter in her career.
The Yotes (7-3) got all the runs they would need in the second, as Paige Gabiola doubled home Strong from second base, with Brianna Brace lifting a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 2-0. Molly Mills led off the third inning with her third homer of the season to complete the scoring.
Six different Coyotes had at least one hit in the game, with the Yotes playing error-free defense. Hayley Glantz took the loss for WU, allowing three runs on five hits in three innings of work.
Game 2 was played through numerous rain squalls, including a rain delay in the third inning. The C of I scored an unearned run in the second off a two-out Logger (0-1) error, adding a run in the third on an Anna Denn RBI groundout.
UPS had their chances - loading the bases in the third, but a Mills unassisted double play got the Yotes out of the inning, and scoring a run off three Pena walks in the fourth, but Lisa Columbo grounded out to end the threat.
After stranding the bases loaded in the fifth, the Yotes put the game away in the sixth. The C of I loaded the bases with one out, thanks to a walk, single, and an error - with McKensie Stanton driving a ball to center that Jenica Holt caught and crashed through the temporary outfield fence. Mikell Nye scored from third and Mills from second on the rare two-run sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 4-1. Denn followed with a long homer to center to make it 6-1.
Pena picked up her second win of the weekend, allowing just four hits with the eight strikeouts, working around seven walks. Ashley Van Horne had the lone multi-hit game for the Yotes, going 2-for-4, with Mills going 1-for-4 with two runs scored - extending her hit streak to 18-games. Briana Huber went 2-for-2 for the Loggers in the loss.
The C of I closes out tournament play tomorrow morning with games against British Columbia and Simpson.
